RPT celebrates World Puppet Day

By Anjum Gill

LAHORE: The Rafi Peer Theatre celebrated World Puppet Day in collaboration with the French Centre on Saturday at the Puppetry Museum of Lahore. The Franco-phony day was also celebrated at the venue.

The Rafi Peer Theatre staged two puppet shows while a Lahore-based folk group performed one show. A theatre spokesperson, Tasneem Pirzada, told Daily Times that World Puppet Day was celebrated on March 21, but keeping in view the India–Pakistan cricket match in Lahore, the group celebrated the day on March 20.

The group’s performances were educational and entertainment oriented, meant for children. In their first performance the group emphasised the correct pronounciation of Urdu words, phrases and their correct use.

The second performance Tinky and Dada, a communication between a grandfather and a granddaughter, was of a more informative kind, with Tinky asking questions to Dada, who responded about simple little things around us.

Folk group Allah Rakha performed the Mughal Empror Akbar’s court’s story. His wife was playing dholki in the background. It was a traditional show with string puppets hanging from behind the cots.

The French Centre’s newly appointed director Mathieu Pinal was also there along with other officials. Most of the guests could not come to the museum. Children from the surrounding areas got a chance to watch the puppet shows. The children were jubilant, as for many of them it was first experience of watching a puppet show.

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